BRUSSELS — Belgium's longest-serving bishop resigned Friday, expressing sorrow for having sexually abused a young boy both as a priest and after becoming a bishop in 1984.

The resignation of Roger Vangheluwe, 73, the bishop of Bruges, was the first from Belgium since a child-abuse scandal began resurfacing and testing the Catholic Church several months ago in Europe and the United States.

His resignation stands out because while several bishops have resigned amid the abuse scandal — three from Ireland in the past four months alone — they did so under the weight of accusations that they shielded pedophiles in their roles, not because they themselves abused children.

Vangheluwe, 73, did not attend but said in the statement the archbishop read that he had abused a young boy.
(Associated Press file photo)

"When I was still just a priest, and for a certain period at the beginning of my episcopate, I sexually abused a minor from my immediate environment," Vangheluwe said in a statement announcing his resignation and read by Archbishop Andre Leonard of Belgium.

"The victim is still marked by what happened. Over the course of these decades I have repeatedly recognized my guilt toward him and his family, and I have asked forgiveness. But this did not pacify him, as it did not pacify me."

Vangheluwe, who was due to retire next year, did not attend the news conference. Pope Benedict XVI has accepted his resignation. Leonard said the church was stepping up to deal with the scandal.

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"We are aware of the crisis of confidence his resignation will set in motion," Leonard said.

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